The inevitable turn over that often makes or breaks programs at the high school has not spared Wayland’s Mock Trial team. Last year, upon the graduation of the class of 2008, the Wayland team lost more than half of its members. After a year of training and recovery, the team once again lost nearly half of its members due to the graduation of the class of 2009. This could potentially be a devastating loss for the Mock Trial team, which made the finals of the district championships last year.
“This year’s going to be really tough, because we’re in a reconstructing stage,” says Neeti Singhal, one of the team captains, “but I have confidence in our team.”
The Mock Trial program is supported by the Massachusetts Bar Association, a voluntary association for all statewide lawyers. Students are placed in a realistic courtroom situation, where they assume the roles of lawyers and witnesses.
Each team takes turns arguing for the defense or the prosecution in a hypothetical case, competing against private and public schools all over Massachusetts. Members of the Massachusetts Bar Association volunteer their time and assume the roles of judges who rate each team’s performance. The team with the highest score wins the trial.
Although the 2008-2009 team lost almost half of its members, the remainder consisted mostly of experienced seniors who had been participating in Mock Trial for at least three years. Their job was to guide the underclassmen and be leaders, so that the preparation process went smoothly. This year just three seniors are returning to the team, only one of which has been on Mock Trial for more than one year.
However, after seeing the turnout at the recent information meeting, the team members were reassured. A total of 33 people showed interest in participating in the program. Yesterday, a written test was held to narrow the field. Next Wednesday, a smaller group will be called back to undergo an oral exam.
“We are ecstatic that so many people have showed an interest in Mock Trial,” says Singhal. “We are really looking forward to try-outs.”
Wayland Mock Trial has had an extended season for the last two years due to its success in the preliminary rounds. Can the team recover again from the loss of so many seniors?
Sabrina Yurkofsky isn’t worried. “The amazing turnout at the information meeting has really raised our confidence,” says the co-captain. “We have so much talent to choose from, so I have high hopes for this year.”